THE National Assembly cannot foot the bill for Cardiff's centennial celebrations, First Minister Rhodri Morgan said yesterday.

Mr Morgan said he would be prepared to give financial help to Cardiff council to commemorate its 50th anniversary of being made capital of Wales.

But he said there was a distinction between that milestone and the centennial celebrations which both fall in 2005.

He told Assembly Members, "What I am not willing to do is help Cardiff celebrate the centenary of becoming a city. That is a matter for the council and private sector. We have to deal with the priorities on an all-Wales level."

Mr Morgan has turned down an appeal from the council for #10m towards its centennial celebrations.

He said, "A multi-million-pound package of support is simply not feasible given our budgetary priorities for public services across the whole of Wales."